Letters and Numbers
by MikoMimi
Summary: Sesshomaru finds himself in need of a qualified person to begin Rin's education. He decides to ask the young miko who travels with his brother. However, what he doesn't expect is to get schooled himself.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This applies to this and all future chapters. I own nothing.

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

Sesshomaru frowned as he stared at his young ward playing in a nearby patch of flowers. It had only been a fraction of a second, but he could have sworn he felt the spark of holy powers coming from her general direction. This wasn't particularly surprising to him; many humans had some raw ability within them. However, these powers were usually either too small to warrant notice, or, more likely, there was no qualified person to train them and so the power dwindled to nothing.

The Lord of the West looked away from his ward, studying the scenery. It was nearing the end of summer, and the hot, humidity of summer would soon be replaced by cool autumn breezes.

"Jaken." At once, the small, green imp stood at attention at his lord's side. "See to it that Rin safely returns to the castle." The retainer was about to protest, but a sharp look and firm kick in the girl's general direction silenced him.

"Where is Lord Sesshomaru going?" Rin asked with a twinge of sadness. It was always a little lonely without him.

"Don't ask impudent questions, child!" Jaken squawked. And with that, began to prepare for their journey home.

* * *

Sesshomaru traveled lightning fast through the forests and mountains of his lands. It would take him a few hours to reach his desired destination, but that would give him time to contemplate his decision; that decision being to ask the young priestess who traveled with Inuyasha to become Rin's teacher.

It had been a year and a half since the defeat of Naraku, and though his main attention since that time had been the protection and management of his lands, the young Lord of the West did somewhat follow the adventures of the rag-tag group his brother was a part of. Not that he cared for him, or them, much, but the group was fairly formidable in a fight. It didn't hurt to know what they were up to.

The fact of the matter was that he would settle for nothing but the best teacher when it came to his ward, and while there were plenty of scholars who would be more than adequate by most standards, it occurred to him that the girl who traveled with Inuyasha would be the ideal choice in this situation. He reviewed the facts in his head slowly, testing the logic and truth of each one.

To begin with, a human female was optimal, being that she would have the best understanding of Rin's needs. In addition, it would be necessary for said female to be a trained miko. The girl who traveled with Inuyasha met all of these base requirements. She was human and female, and had received training from both her predecessor, before the final battle with Naraku, and from the old miko who lived near Inuyasha's forest. Though the old woman's powers were weak in comparison to the other two, her wisdom was more than adequate for the role of teacher. She might also have been a choice, had her age not been a hindrance. However there were other criteria as well.

Beyond the base requirements, a solid education was a must. The old miko could read and write, but he was sure that the younger priestess was educated beyond the simple use of brush and ink. She seemed to have knowledge of things that he was not certain he had ever heard of before. That uncertainty was slightly off-putting. Perhaps it had to do with the strange garments she wore or the unusual objects she carried with her. In any case, she seemed to have a wide, yet thorough knowledge of the world. Her knowledge of herbs and spells from the miko trade must also have grown in the time since the final battle with Naraku.

Lastly, though he grimaced at the idea that this was even a consideration, Rin enjoyed the company of the young miko. He had to admit that her affinity for children was clear, and her ability to deal with them was also apparent by her careful upbringing of the young fox demon.

His decision made, the Lord of the West picked up his pace as he exited his territory, heading east to the village his brother's group favored.

* * *

Inuyasha's ears perked up as he sniffed the air with a scowl. Kagome, noticing her long-time companion's agitation, reached out her aura to see if she could determine what the problem was. Most likely it was Koga or-

"Sesshomaru," Inuyasha growled softly.

Kagome frowned, slightly disappointed that he had given away the answer before she figured it out. A moment later, though, she felt the familiar, slightly overbearing aura of the Western lord. The group had no reason to fear his presence, but that didn't mean they were particularly at ease about meeting either. Inuyasha stood, motioning for the others to wait while he went out to "greet" his half-brother. Sango shot Miroku a slightly concerned look, but the monk just shrugged.

They didn't have to wait long.

"Oi, Sesshomaru. What do you want?" Inuyasha glared at the demon, blocking his path to the entrance of the hut. It vaguely registered in Inuyasha's brain that the rest of his brother's normal traveling companions were nowhere to be seen.

"This Sesshomaru does not have business with you, half-breed. Where is the young priestess?"

As if on cue, Kagome, who came out to make sure the two brothers were not killing each other, exited the hut.

"If you want to talk to her, you gotta go through me," Inuyasha said harshly.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said gently, "if he just wants to talk it's fine. How can I help you, Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha began to sputter with anger. He couldn't believe she was considering this! He was about to start loudly protesting, when a sharp look from Kagome quieted him instantly. Her eyes told him that the prayer beads around his neck would be the least of his problems if he didn't settle down. The message sent and received, the hanyou muttered a "feh" and stalked back into the hut, throwing a "If he kills you, don't come crying to me" over his shoulder.

The irate half-demon out of the picture, the Lord of the West turned and began walking into the forest. Kagome figured he probably wanted to be out of ear-shot, for whatever reason. But why he wanted to talk to her was, of course, a mystery. She would just have to wait.

She didn't have to wait long, however. In a clearing, rather near the Bone Eater's Well, the young lord stopped and turned to the miko. She fidgeted, slightly nervous under his direct gaze. His eyes seemed to bore into her being, searching for… goodness knows what. She was about to break the silence, when using his demon speed he appeared less than 2 feet in front of her. The shock caused her to take a step back, and she thought he frowned.

"Miko, this Sesshomaru has a request."

Kagome slowly blinked as her mind took in the information. She stared at Sesshomaru intently a moment. This didn't surprise him in the slightest. He knew she was not afraid of him (though she should be), nor did she possess the typical habit of averting one's eyes before those of a higher status. She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts.

"A request… for me?" The idea seemed a little preposterous. After all, what could The Great Sesshomaru need done that he would need to ask a human for help. "Um…?"

Sesshomaru regarded the miko with cool eyes, pausing a few moments before elaborating on his statement. "Rin is at an age where she requires an education fitting of her position. She also seems to possess some of the same abilities you have. Therefore this Sesshomaru would ask you to become her teacher."

Kagome instantly relaxed. "Oh, Rin-chan. I see. How old is she now, anyway?"

Sesshomaru inwardly grimaced at her informal and slightly impertinent manner of questioning him. "She is now in her seventh year," he answered shortly.

"Wow! Already? You must be so proud of her!" Kagome smiled, thinking about the young girl. It had been over a year since she had seen the little girl who traveled with demon lord. "But are you sure?"

"This Sesshomaru knows of no one better suited to this task."

Kagome's eyes bulged slightly. That was probably as close as Sesshomaru got to a compliment. She rolled the idea around in her head. If he had come to ask her, then that meant that she was exactly what he had in mind. Lord Sesshomaru didn't exactly beat around the bush. But the responsibility of a child's education… well, it wasn't like she had a lot to do around here. After the final battle, she had opted to drop out of high school, not quite fitting in with modern society anymore. She still went home to visit though. In this era, however, matters were not so pressing as they were when Naraku was still alive.

Not knowing the exact direction of her thoughts, the demon lord grudgingly continued. "While this Sesshomaru does not fully understand your origins," he said, glancing pointedly at the miko's apparel, "it is apparent that you possess a wealth of knowledge about a variety of subjects. As ward of a great house, Rin deserves the best education available to her."

Kagome inwardly laughed a little at how a high school dropout in her era was "the best education available." She didn't know the first thing about being a teacher, but it did certainly sound interesting.

"Well, alright, I guess. I can get some things from home. What does she already know?"

Sesshomaru sighed inwardly. While a relevant question, he didn't like that his answer reflected his inattention. "She knows nothing of letters and numbers, though she knows many of the tales of my family's house."

Kagome reflected on this quietly, Sesshomaru watching her carefully. Finally, she seemed to come out of her thoughts. "I accept. It sounds interesting, and I've been meaning to start teaching Shippo more seriously…" She trailed off as she realized she would probably have to leave the kit behind.

"He may come."

Kagome gave a smile of relief. "Great! I'll go back to my tim- I mean, home and pick up a few things."

"This Sesshomaru would not expect you to gather tools on his behalf without compensation," he said, handing her a small bag. Not being sure of the type of currency used in her homeland, he opted for something she could hopefully trade with. Her eyes widened when looking into the bag, and she let out a nervous laugh. "Also," he continued, "the winter will be setting in soon, making travel difficult. Be prepared to spend the entire time in the Western lands."

"I'll need an entire cart if I'll be gone THAT long!"

"Very well. Be ready within the week."

And that was how the young miko known as Kagome found herself in the employment of the Lord of the Western Lands.

* * *

Author's Note: So, what do you all think? Want more? Questions, comments, and concerns welcome


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Portions of this story have possibly been inspired/guided by other stories such as Beauty and the Beast, Jane Eyre, etc. I do not own these. I only own the story in this current form.

* * *

Chapter 2

* * *

Kagome absent-mindedly surfed the web while her mom cooked dinner in the other room. What did kids in the Warring States Period learn anyway? It's not like there was a set curriculum. She peered intently at the search results, mumbling to herself.

"Letters and numbers. Letters and numbers…"

Kagome's mother peeked her head from around the corner. "Something wrong, dear?"

"Looks like those extra calligraphy classes you sent me to in elementary school are going to pay off," the girl said, stretching, then hunching over the keyboard again. Her mom simply smiled and went back to the stove.

Kagome had already explained what was going on, and though she didn't like the idea of not seeing her daughter for upwards of eight months, the knowledge that she would be under the care of one of the most skilled warriors in the entire Feudal Era did comfort her greatly. That, and the gems he had given Kagome to buy school supplies had been more than enough to supply an entire school for a year AND pay for Souta's college education. As far as she was concerned, he was a keeper.

Kagome tipped her head back and stared blankly at the ceiling, considering all that she had left to do. She would print out some information from online (she made a mental note to pick up a binder or two), get some teaching books, some writing practice workbooks for the kids, and, of course, toys and snacks to appease them during the long winter months. Maybe she was taking this too seriously.

Her mother called out that dinner was ready, so she pushed back the chair and decided to continue her research after a nice bath and a good night's sleep.

* * *

Sesshomaru's eyes would have bulged had he any less control. Currently in front of him was a cart filled to the brim with… well, he wasn't exactly sure what most of the items were. He looked back over at the young miko who grinned sheepishly back at him.

"Shall we?" she asked, giggling nervously.

He didn't deign to answer her, instead turning to watch as some village men hooked the cart up to Ah-Un as she said goodbye to her friends.

"I'll miss you guys! I promise to write often!"

She gave a teary hug to Sango and shook hands with a slightly hurt looking Miroku. To Inuyasha she gave a sad smile, promising to visit as soon as possible. His response was at first a half-hearted "feh," but he gave in and hugged her once he saw tears forming. With a final wave to the group, Kagome beckoned Shippo to climb into her arms, and she walked over to where Sesshomaru stood, cloud forming beneath his feet.

She looked up at the demon lord, and without another word they took off, headed for the distant Western Lands.

* * *

While they had ventured into the Western Lands during their travels, Kagome could not recall how deeply into the territory they had actually been. The scenery had, within a little more than an hour, become completely unfamiliar.

Sometime early into their flight, Sesshomaru had told her that it would take the better part of a day to reach their destination. She figured that was because he was not going at breakneck speed to accommodate her human-ness. She chuckled and then almost broke into a full laugh when the demon lord looked down at her with something between a glare and confusion.

Shippo, luckily, had fallen asleep almost immediately. The excitement of travel and all the new toys (he hadn't figured out that they were educational toys yet) had finally taken their toll on the young kit.

"Just a few more hours…" the miko thought, gazing down at the trees.

* * *

Just as the sun dipped low in the sky, Sesshomaru said her name and, following his eyes, the castle came into her view. Or rather, fortress. It was situated on the side of a mountain, jutting out from the stony exterior. It seemed perfectly placed, as though it had always been there, and Kagome wondered how old the edifice actually was.

As they approached the giant building, Kagome could see that while it reflected the authority and austerity of its current ruler, portions of it seemed to be in disuse or disrepair. In some ways this was surprising, as her mind rebelled at the use of "Lord of the West" and "unkempt" being in the same paragraph, let alone sentence. On the other hand, he was rather practical and ascetic. She wanted answers to her questions, but decided it would be wiser to keep her thoughts to herself for the time being.

In a matter of moments, they alighted in a courtyard, and Kagome took some hesitant steps into the garden, waking Shippo in the process. While they looked under-cared for and slightly wild, the late summer blooms were still beautiful and fragrant. Kagome sighed with contentment as Shippo leapt out of her arms to stretch his legs. The peace of the moment was shattered by the demon lord's retainer.

"Welcome home, Lord Sesshomar- What is SHE doing here?" the green imp sputtered and came to a sudden halt, causing the little girl who had been following at his heels to crash into him.

"Ah! Kagome-sama!" The girl's smile got even bigger when she saw the fox kit poke his head out from behind Kagome's back. "Shippo-chan!"

Sesshomaru, slightly uncomfortable – though he would never admit it – with the whole situation, focused his attention on his retainer, who cowered under his stare.

"Are the rooms ready as I requested?"

"Y-yes, my lord," Jaken said.

"Then escort the priestess and fox to their rooms and see to it that they are taken care of until we dine."

The demon lord began to walk off, and Kagome wanted to call out to him not to leave her alone in this strange, unknown place.

"No harm will come to you or the child within these walls," he said, answering her unspoken question. The "trust me" part was left out purposely, she was sure, but even without it she placed her trust in the stoic lord, watching as his back retreated down a long hallway and then out of sight completely.

"Stop gawking at my lord!" Jaken squealed, breaking her from her reverie. Kagome, Shippo, and Rin followed the imp inside and through the maze of hallways until Kagome was quite certain he was either lost or purposely trying to disorient her. If the latter, it was working. Suddenly the group found themselves in what Jaken pointed out was the main hall.

It was a giant room, big enough for large gatherings of many demons, which Kagome imagined no longer happened given the current lord's disdain for company. As with the outside, it was built primarily of stone and rock, though the old paintings and tapestries that hung from the walls hinted at the true warmth and splendor it must have once had. Other statues and objects of beauty and value could also be seen throughout the room. While it seemed little attention was paid to the hall in general, there was neither dust nor cobwebs, indicating that it was at least occasionally cleaned.

Jaken gave the group a moment to take in the grandeur before explaining, at least to Kagome and Shippo, the general layout and rules of the fortress.

"The East Wing is where you will spend the majority of your time," Jaken said, becoming slightly more polite as he spoke with admiration of the greatness of his lord's home. "Your rooms, as well as Lord Sesshomaru's quarters, are there, as well as the courtyard we just came from. The library and his lordship's private study are above that, in addition to some other smaller, unused rooms. The _family_," Jaken cringed at having to use the word, "dining quarters are on the in-between level, looking out over the courtyard. The training quarters can also be accessed on that level."

Jaken paused, checking for understanding. Seeing the glazed over look in the newcomer's eyes he continued, realizing he didn`t really care if they got lost.

"Everything eventually connects to this main hall. The other wings," he said, motioning to the North and West wing doors that loomed slightly more ominously over the group, "are off limits." He paused a moment before elaborating. "In the event that we host a special event, the North doors will be opened to the guest quarters and banquet halls, but entering the West wing is always strictly prohibited."

Jaken ushered them through a new corridor (at least Kagome was pretty sure it was new). Before passing through the archway, Kagome looked back at the looming doors that led west. "What`s through the Western doors?" she asked, more to herself than anyone else. She was shocked when Jaken actually replied, the ominous answer sending a chill down her spine.

"Those were the quarters of the former Lord and Lady of the Western Lands."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The room Kagome was shown to was fairly large, though the furnishings were sparse. The quality, however, was excellent; the vanity, chest, and small, low table were made of a dark brown wood with gold detailing, while the linens of the room, the futon and cushions, were primarily white with a navy and red pattern around the edges. The fresh tatami and burning incense did not go unnoticed, and Kagome felt… well, she was not sure how she should feel about such attention to detail. As her things had yet to be brought up, she decided to leave the room for the time being.

Kagome walked across the tatami, slid open the shoji doors, and slipped on her shoes, taking a few steps to cross to the opposite side of the hallway. The left side of the hall, facing north toward the inside of the mountain, had all the bedrooms, while the right, where she was now, was open to the South and had a fantastic view of the territory. The sun had almost completely set, the glow of the last rays fading quickly as night fell across the land.

The scene's silence was broken by Jaken`s announcement that it was time to go to the dining hall, and Kagome, after gathering the children, followed close behind so as to not get lost in the winding halls.

The first thing that struck Kagome upon entering was that, despite being called a family dining hall, it was far bigger and fancier than any other kitchen she had been in, future or present. The room had stone walls and tatami like the other living areas she had seen, but the polished, low table, and deep blue cushions, while simple in design, gave a sense of richness to the room. Candles along the walls and upon the table cast a soft, warm glow.

The second thing that struck Kagome was the lord of the castle sitting at the head of the table. Kagome was not sure if she had ever seen him sitting before, let alone sitting almost at ease. While Sesshomaru was not an energetic or tense being, there was always a sense that he was at attention. Kagome noted his crossed legs and relaxed posture, then realized his characteristic armor was gone, before she came to his eyes and realized he was staring lazily back at her.

She blushed at her rudeness and quickly sat to Sesshomaru's right as directed by a begrudging Jaken. Shippo sat next to her, and Rin sat to Sesshomaru's left. The food was brought out on simple black lacquered trays by two demons with black hair, and Kagome briefly admired the fine glazed dishes and the food within them before saying her thanks. She was about to dig in, but realizing that she should probably wait for Sesshomaru to start, reached out her right hand to prevent Shippo from grabbing his chop sticks.

Sesshomaru seemed to approve of her manners and picked up his bowl and utensils. The others followed suit. Kagome snuck a peek at the demon lord eating his rice regally, and then almost choked on her laughter. "That is something I didn't expect to see in a million years," she thought to herself.

Dinner was almost a completely silent affair. The children talked a little, but Kagome was not confident enough to start a conversation with the other adult in the room. And she hardly expected him to break the ice either. When the dishes were cleared, Kagome stood and softly told the children that she would take them to bathe and get ready for bed. She was about to ask Jaken how to get back to their quarters, when Sesshomaru spoke up.

"I will lead you."

The four simple words startled Kagome, as she assumed he would not speak to her at all unless necessary. Therefore she only nodded dumbly as the demon stood gracefully and motioned for the group to follow his lead.

The children fell into step together, chatting quietly the way children do . This left Kagome to fall into step with Sesshomaru. Again his words caught her off guard.

"Your things will have been brought up by now. You may use one of the rooms near the library for your work, though I expect you will want some time to settle in."

"Ah…" Kagome began with uncertainty. "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru. Um, if you don't mind, I'd like to meet with you before I begin to iron out some of the details…"

Sesshomaru peered down at her from the corner of his eye. Though the expression was unfamiliar, he understood the gist of her request and nodded his head.

"I retreat to my study after dinner. You may join me there when you are ready."

Kagome nodded, but neither girl nor demon said another word until she thanked him and wished him a good night after they arrived at the children's rooms.

After Sesshomaru left, Kagome quickly got Rin and Shippo bathed and into their night clothes, then read them a story until they were fast asleep. Kagome tucked Rin in and then walked to the next room to do the same to Shippo. Finally, she passed into the next room, her own, and shook her head at the boxes that were neatly stacked all around the room.

"It's gonna be a loooooooong night," she mumbled to herself and set to work unpacking.

Kagome's next week consisted of mornings full of unpacking boxes, moving things around and organizing, while her afternoons were spent preparing what and how she was going to teach. All this was done, of course, in between bouts of playing with the children and eating in the dining hall.

Despite the size of the castle, there seemed to be very few demons actually residing there. Of course Sesshomaru and Jaken were there. There also seemed to be a cook, and the two black haired demons, brothers by the name of Shin and Shun, who worked in the kitchen. In addition, there were some female servants who took care of the cleaning and some guards in front of the castle. In total, there could not be more than 15 people living within the confines of the stone walls.

Kagome wondered how a castle of this size and a lord as powerful as Sesshomaru could go without a large army and staff. However she set these thoughts aside, along with her previous wonderings about the present state of the castle. She would eventually figure it out.

With most of her things put away, Kagome decided that she should not put off meeting with Sesshomaru any longer than necessary. The sooner she got all this out of the way, the sooner she could officially get to work. She didn't like the feeling of not earning her keep, especially considering the niceness of the accommodations and cuisine.

After dinner that night, Kagome prepared the children for bed as usual. Then she walked back down the hallway to find the stairs that led up to the library and Sesshomaru's study. The study was located opposite the library, and though she had not seen the prior, she had made many visits to the latter. Sesshomaru had quite the collection of literature, though to be fair, a far greater number of scrolls were about wars and demon lineage than about writing for the sake of art. There were a number of scrolls concerning philosophy and history, and even a few in Chinese which Kagome thought to be Buddhist sutras. All in all, it was fairly impressive.

The room opposite, however, was a mystery, and Kagome hesitated a moment before softly knocking on the door.

"Enter."

The even-toned voice came through the door, and Kagome hesitated a moment longer before opening the door. The room, much to her surprise, was smaller than she expected, though it was just as filled with shelves and scrolls as the room across the hall. Sesshomaru sat at a normal sized low table, a few scrolls in front of him. His eyes did not leave said scrolls, so Kagome sat seiza across the table from him, waiting to be acknowledged. After a few moments, his eyes met hers.

"You are ready to speak?"

The way he said it, it sounded more like a command than a question. She brushed her uncertainty away and tried to sit a little straighter.

"Yes. I wanted to speak to you about what I would be teaching."

"I give you permission to teach whatever you think is best," he said simply.

"But there is so-"

"I will not repeat myself."

Kagome sighed and thought to herself, "_Well, that was a short conversation_." She was about to stand up to leave when Sesshomaru's words stopped her.

"There are, however, some matters concerning the fox kit I would like to discuss before you retire for the evening. He is at least as old as Rin, yet maintains the form of a toddler. This is unacceptable. In addition, he should begin proper combat training."

"He's only a child!" Kagome said, though a bit more impassioned than she probably should have. But this was her child he was talking about. Her baby. She didn't want to think about him fighting and possibly being hurt.

Sesshomaru gave her a moment to calm herself before continuing. "He is not as young as you may think, and this is not a peaceful time. He needs to be able to defend himself. I was already training at half his age."

The slip of personal information did not go unnoticed by the young miko, and she slouched a little on her cushion. He was right after all. This was the Warring States Period. "But I can't teach him how to fight as a demon," she said with a frown.

"You will be training Rin in the miko arts. I can return the favor by training the kit."

This was the point in the conversation where Kagome's brain stopped working. The idea of Lord Sesshomaru – who infamous for dead conversations and even deader death – having the patience to train a ball of energy like Shippo was causing a computation error in her brain. And he would do it as thanks for training Rin? This was really too much.

"Miko."

"Hm?" She replied distractedly.

"Do you accept?"

Again, it was a question that sounded a lot more like a command. Kagome's thoughts were too muddled to continue the conversation, or even reply, so she settled for mumbling her thanks and good nights and retreated to her room as quickly as she could.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Thanks for the adds and favorites. It makes me happy ^.^ Remember, reviews feed me~

Chapter 4

With the young priestess now caring for both her own child and Rin, Sesshomaru found that the area immediately surrounding him was far more quiet and calm than it had been in more than a year. While Rin was nowhere near as boisterous as other human children he had observed, compared to his many decades of almost complete solitude, having her around was rather noisy. And for the week or so after the priestess came, the addition of the fox only compounded those sounds.

However, now he was alone in his study, after breakfast, reading some reports from various locations throughout his lands. If he paid attention, he could hear what was being discussed in the lesson room a few doors down, but he instead decided to occupy his thoughts on the contents of the messages. But his thoughts soon began to wander, much to his chagrin.

Sesshomaru knew that the priestess was young, and being in such close proximity had made him realize just how young she truly was. She could not be more than 17 or 18 years. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought he should know the exact age, but brushed it aside. What was more pressing at the moment was how such a young girl knew so much about so many subjects. Her place of origin was indeed strange.

He occasionally sat in on her lessons (or eavesdropped through the door though he would never admit that to himself nor anyone else), pretending to be bored, but actually listening with some degree of interest. He knew she was well-educated, but her range of knowledge was rather astounding. And then there was the matter of presenting that information to her pupils.

The way she moved between subjects was very organic. The children could be looking at the map of the world, then begin to write and draw, or they might talk about counting and shapes and colors, and then suddenly decide to go on a walk. While it seemed very disjointed, the miko always somehow connected everything together. It was very different from the strictness and rigidity of his education. Everything was taught with kindness and warmth, and though he scoffed at how soft it all was, he had to admit that her methods were effective; in the month since she had arrived both children were almost completely literate in the woman`s writing that made up the sounds of their language.

And that led him to his next thoughts. She tried to speak like those around her, but there was something undeniably strange about her…dialect. In addition, her writing there was a uniformity to her writing that he had never seen before. Very strange indeed.

* * *

Kagome was slowly getting used to life in the castle. She had finally figured out how to navigate the halls without getting lost and lessons with the children were progressing smoothly.

Her time in the demon lord's presence was thankfully short, and he seemed content to leave her and the children to their own devices. In fact, other than her greetings (and his slight nods acknowledging said greetings), very little in the way of conversation had passed between to two.

Kagome was secretly glad that he had little interest in her doings. She was nervous enough trying to teach the kids and be polite without having to worry about how to converse with someone like him. It's not like he inspired warm or inviting conversations…

She wondered if she should make more of an effort to engage him though. She hadn't had an adult conversation in weeks, and while she loved the children dearly, being with them day in and day out was beginning to wear on her nerves. She decided to try when an opportunity presented itself.

And a few days later such an opportunity did occur.

* * *

After morning training and breakfast, Kagome decided to take the children on a walk through the garden. The leaves were turning colors, the green of the previous season being almost completely replaced with the yellows, reds, and browns of autumn. She thought a bit of exercise and a science lesson might be a good way to start the morning.

To her surprise, Sesshomaru had followed the group outside, and he stood looking out into the garden as they walked about it and talked about the reason the plants changed colors. Seeing that he would be there awhile, Kagome left the children to play on their own and walked slowly over to where the lord stood. She decided to direct her gaze to the garden too, though mostly to avoid any potential eye contact with Sesshomaru. It wasn't that she was particularly afraid of him, but striking up a conversation with him was more than a little intimidating.

"Um… Sesshomaru-sama…?" she began hesitantly.

If she had been looking at him, she would have seen his gaze slide from the scene in front of him to her… or rather her head. She kept her eyes stubbornly forward, and Sesshomaru let his eyes go back to their previous subjects.

Seeing as he wasn't going to walk off immediately and ignore her, Kagome continued, slightly emboldened.

"Why are there so few demons in the castle?"

This time Kagome did look up. His face remained blank however, and she wondered if he would even bother to answer. He didn't even look like he had heard her. She leaned her elbows on the railing in front of her and then rested her head upon her arms. It was a childlike pose, but she didn't really care.

"The majority of those who worked in the castle before have been assigned elsewhere for now."

Kagome jumped a little at his voice, and stood up straight again so she could look at him. Of course, nothing had changed in his face, but she pressed on.

"…why?"

Sesshomaru looked down at her. There really was no reason she needed to know, and he could think of no reason why she would want to know. Perhaps it was just curiosity. He decided he would humor her for the time being.

"They are needed in battle."

Kagome took the information in slowly, realization dawning on her.

"I got so caught up in my own battles, I kinda forgot this was called the Warring States Period."

Sesshomaru raised his eye brows slightly. _Was…?_ He didn't get the chance to voice his question though, as the priestess continued.

"But I haven't seen any battles recently."

"The last few months have been quiet, but there are still enemies waiting for their chance."

Kagome nodded and turned her attention back to the children, suddenly grateful for the peace of the castle and the assured safety of being under Sesshomaru's protection.

Sesshomaru silently took his leave, and the priestess, lost in thought, barely noticed his departure. After a few moments though, she called the children to her and they began their lessons for the day.

* * *

Kagome sat on the railing of the hallway in front of her bedroom, one leg hanging lazily off the side. It was starting to get cold out, but she didn't feel like being cooped up inside on such a beautiful night. In truth, she had not spent such an extended period of time in one place in years, let alone in the same building. While the castle was large, it was much different living here than her two or so years of constant traveling throughout the country. She was starting to get cabin fever. And she was starting to miss home too.

She was wearing sweats and T-shirt, not interested in the sleeping yukata that had been prepared for her. She had been trying to incorporate more kimono into her daily wardrobe as Sesshomaru seemed to dislike her foreign clothing, but some days she just gave up tying the obi and slipped into something more familiar. He wasn't the fashion police anyway.

Speaking of the demon lord, their conversation (if you could call it that) had really surprised her today. In fact, his whole demeanor in general was strange inside the castle walls, but she chalked that up to the familiarity of being at home. Not that he seemed any more forthcoming with words or kindness than before. He just seemed… Well, he didn't seem to be anything. It was like there was a wall of glass between them. She could see him of course, but the inner workings of his mind were unable to reach her. No indication of his thoughts or emotions existed, other than his slightly eased posture. It was probably a step up from scornful glares and trying to kill her though, she admitted.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the very being she was thinking about had joined her.

Sesshomaru followed her slightly blank gaze to the moon and stars, knowing she was not entirely present at the moment. He scoffed at her lack of awareness. It was a miracle she hadn't gotten herself killed thus far. But another part of him thought perhaps she was just comfortable with his presence. That was a mistake on her part though. He had brought her here for a job, but that didn't mean she should trust him so easily. Looking at her again, he took in the light of the moon reflecting on the soft, pale skin and the blackness of her hair. Her strange blue grey eyes almost ethereal. Objectively, she was appealing for a human. He scoffed at his own thoughts then, focusing on his original intent in approaching the woman.

"Miko."

Kagome was so startled that she nearly fell over the side of the railing. In fact, it was only Sesshomaru's lightning fast grip on her arm that saved her from a nasty meeting with the earth far below. She giggled nervously at his glare. So much for no scorn.

"Haha…ha…thanks…?"

The glare was joined with an annoyed huff.

"I get it. I'll get down now."

She slid off the railing, waiting for him to release her arm. He did not, however.

"Miko, the kit still remains in the same form. I do not repeat myself."

Kagome regarded him carefully, remembering their conversation from over a month ago. There was no question that she was to obey his tone. She had been avoiding talking to Shippo about this, but suddenly the idea of Sesshomaru broaching the subject seemed to change her mind on the matter slightly. She gulped and took a deep breath.

"I'll speak with him in the morning."

Sesshomaru nodded, pleased at her, albeit unwilling, compliance. He released her from his grip and she stumbled forward slightly, not prepared to be completely independent of his strength. She turned back towards him, but he was already walking away, heading toward his own quarters.

"Good night, Lord Sesshomaru," she said quietly before taking off her shoes and slipping into her own room.


End file.
